Page 60 of Refusing Kendall

Leveling him with a murderous glare, I try to ask politely, “Please?”

When my answer comes in the form of him shaking his head, I try whining, “But I was shot. Twice. A woman deserves several things after living through that, and since the first one isn’t an option right now, coffee comes in a close second.”

Teagan grins at me, “What’s the first option?”

“Something that’s for sure to get us kicked out of the hospital,” I wink back.

The four of them chuckle, but Mav still holds my coffee hostage.

“Fine,” I growl. “Can’t even move my arm, but the man wants me to get out of bed. Sure.”

“You know,” he teases, “I didn’t think you could possibly get any grumpier than in the mornings when you don’t get any sleep. Boy, was I wrong.”

“And you’re using coffee against me,” I retort. “Doesn’t seem very smart on your part.”

He shrugs and fights a smile as he lifts his eyebrow, daring me to come get it.

I take a deep breath before using my good arm to throw the covers back. Just that one quick movement feels like a brick of cement has been dropped on my stomach. Lucas sets his cup down on the table and reaches out to help me. There’s not a chance in hell that I’ll be able to sit up on my own. It’ll work those muscles too hard.

“Can we raise the bed up?” I ask him. He nods and goes in search of the remote.

“Ready?” he asks.

Not fucking really, but I say, “Sure.”

It moves as slow as molasses, but the angle has me sucking air through my teeth. God, it hurts like a bitch.

“You okay?” he asks as it stops.

There’s a pressure sitting on my chest, stealing my breath, so I close my eyes and have to take a minute before I answer.

“Sweetheart?” Goose questions from my other side. I don’t know what got him into using the new pet name, but I’ll be the first to admit that I love hearing it.

He laughs and kisses the side of my head. Must have said that more than just in my head.

“Okay,” I murmur more to myself than anyone else. Lucas takes my good arm, and Goose helps as much as he can from the other side. When I open my eyes, it’s to find Teagan beside Lucas, looking ready to grab me if I start to crash to the floor. It would suck balls if I tripped us all up, and we all ended up in a pile on the floor. I let out a brief laugh, but it’s short lived when pain slices through me.

I manage to sit sideways on the bed with my legs hanging off the edge before I have to stop for a break. The gown I’m wearing is open behind me, exposing my back and ass to Goose, but the shits that I give can be tied to an anchor and dropped in the bottom of the ocean at this point.

“You better hope I don’t make it up,” I warn Mav. “I swear, I’m going to choke you.”

The four of them laugh, and it brings a smile to my lips even through the pain. After thinking I’d never see them again, it’s the small things that are touching my heart right now.

“Think you can stand, baby?” Lucas asks softly.

Teagan snickers beside him, “I fucking hope so. I want to see her strangle Mav.”

“You shouldn’t be standing so close either,” I warn him. “Don’t think me almost dying has caused memory loss too.” I’ve already forgiven him for all the shit that went down, and I’m half teasing him, but he doesn’t need to know that.

“Trade places,” he suggests to Lucas, who surprisingly, does as he wishes.

Teagan’s hands find the sides of my face, and he tilts my face up to his, “I’m sorry, Kendall. I was so fucking stupid. I think I was so angry with myself for letting her catch me off guard like that, but even more so because I didn’t back away from it. Plus, all this shit with the stalker and Goose when we got into the fight I just lost it. I took all my frustrations and anger out on you when I was really just super pissed at myself. Forgive me, sweets? Please.”

I look up at the ceiling like I’m contemplating my answer. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Lucas smiling, and it almost breaks me. Keeping a straight face, I tease, “I don’t know. I think it may take a little more convincing.”

He grins down at me. When he leans in, I think he’s going for a kiss and close my eyes. His mouth finds my ear instead, “Get out of this hospital bed, and I’ll earn it, I promise.” The feel of his teeth nipping at me sends a jolt down my spine. It makes my shit hurt like crazy, but it’s so worth it.

“Help me up,” I demand softly.

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